Clara's Clearing

Clara's Clearing

After I wrote a previous blog about the creeps one meets on city streets, I started taking mental notes about the different kinds of people one meets day to day. This is certainly part of a kid’s education. Exactly a week after my encounter with the neighbor who tried to intimidate my son and I not to play in the park we had an exactly opposite encounter. More

Comments

I agree that our culture has a critical view of children, always finding things kids are doing wrong. Maybe that's why children in a lot of other cultures are so much happier.

vicki commented on 28-May-2010 05:29 PM

I know what you mean about missing honesty, generosity, trust, and, like you say, community. So sad that we have to bring up kids without this.

Lourdes commented on 28-May-2010 05:35 PM

It's good to see a little appreciation for other cultures -- especially the ones we live right in the midst!

tina commented on 31-May-2010 11:40 AM

We have become an unfriendly, aggressive, intolerant culture. There's no hope for community when you don't have kindness and trust. No matter how much money you spend on a police force what's going to keep our kids safe is community. No wonder kids are not safe.

anon2 commented on 01-Jun-2010 09:20 AM

How nice to run into people who have a sense of community. As a diehard city person I believe in city folks who have it!

Maddie commented on 02-Jun-2010 04:22 PM

How refreshing to run into people like Hisham. It definitely is true that you see this kind of kindness in immigrants and minorities more than you do in other kinds of Americans.

Cathy commented on 06-Jun-2010 01:38 PM

Thank you for sharing this nice angle on things! City life is definitely unpredictable.

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Over the years, trying to be fair in the utmost, seeing things from many different perspectives, and, not the least, not wanting to spoil my son or make him feel the center of the universe, I have been very held-back in saying good things about Jack. Now, I’m going to indulge in that a little.More

Comments

Was about time you showed more loyalty to your son than to being objective!

Anonymous commented on 25-Mar-2010 08:29 PM

Jack sounds like a wonderful boy. Good luck to all of you.

Deb commented on 25-Mar-2010 10:59 PM

Very nice blog. Looking forward to reading about friendship.

TSE commented on 26-Mar-2010 05:15 PM

Good for Jack. He's a smart kid.

Tyler commented on 26-Mar-2010 11:25 PM

Darn tootin! The only thing worse than a bully are the bully's toadies.

Jack did a great thing in not joining the dark side.

Karl commented on 31-Mar-2010 10:29 AM

Bullies cannot exit without toadies. All power to the kids who don't turn into toadies. It might be hard but it definitely is doable. We have to keep repeating to kids that they do have an option: DO NOT join the mob.

Chris commented on 01-Apr-2010 12:09 PM

Pleasure to read you Clara. Looking foward to reading how the adventure continues!

Billie commented on 17-Jan-2011 01:26 AM

Don't worry he already know about friendship instictively that is why he didn't join with any bullys and fught them. He will stand up for himself and the underdog, my son did and got in trouble for it becuase he was a "bad boy". But I taught him he did right at home and you will teach him right at home.

Comments

It is ironic, Clara. All power to you for sticking to your beliefs. I think you are right.

Christine commented on 17-Mar-2010 11:22 AM

It is a pleasure to read you, Clara. Interesting story and you tell it really well.

Effre commented on 17-Mar-2010 03:18 PM

Very good observations. It is very sad.

Anonymous commented on 17-Mar-2010 09:08 PM

Amazing and brilliant analysis of human nature. The ignoring
of issues so important to our growth is certainly the most harmful
approach for us as a society.
It is always best to have a voice and not look to the authority to
save you from harm. Having the skills to use your voice is
leveraging for these situations. Mediation- and martial arts are
good methods to gain confidence and strength to handle injustice.
Best of love to Jack
From--the same birth day!

Fernanda commented on 18-Mar-2010 02:02 PM

I really enjoy reading these and it's good to think about all the things you mention.

Kelly NY commented on 20-Mar-2010 10:29 AM

This is a really nice piece. You are a very wise and kind person Clara. Your son's school should be very sorry to have lost your family. But you do wonder if they care or even if they know the difference between you and others. Anyway, good luck to you and Jack.

Miranda commented on 20-Apr-2010 01:07 AM

Since when can classmates "vote a kid out" of a class?!!! This is outrageous and should not be allowed anywhere, much less in public schools!!

Billie commented on 17-Jan-2011 01:15 AM

Thank you, I just found this website and it sounds like a lot of the things that happened to my son up to and including another boy breaking his arm on the playground. I unfortunatly was not in a position to homeschool and wish I had been, so I hope all will go much better for you and Jack now. My son is now in high school and has found his nich in music, so has found friends and is no longer the victim and is turning out fine due to his good spirit and our work finding better outlets but it would have been awesome to not have to live through those years of elemetary and middle school bullying.